


What Children Are Made Of... or something

by probably_iron_deficiency



Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Adoption, Angst but like not a TON of angst, Anxiety, Fluff, Found Family, Ft. Kojiro referring to Miya as 'kid' because he has such strong dad vibes, Happy Ending, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, Kojiro and Kaoru are literally such parents, Like its hard to explain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-25 20:21:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30094611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/probably_iron_deficiency/pseuds/probably_iron_deficiency
Summary: Alternatively: Kojiro and Kaoru begin taking care of Miya after they realize he has been living alone for months, and consequently realize that the poor kid needs a lot of support because of it.(Ok that's the REALLY cliffnotes version... but its basically what happens)
Relationships: Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom
Comments: 66
Kudos: 410





	1. Chapter 1

_Ding ding_

“Welcome! Please have a seat, I’ll be right with- YOU?” Kojiro yelled as he turned to greet his supposed customers. Instead, he was greeted by the faces of three hungry teenagers and one pink haired boyfriend. 

Kojiro let out a half sigh at the not-unusual sight of the group. The door swung closed, the little bell once again jingling happily, as they entered. 

“Hey Joe, how’s it going?” Reki greeted, already making his way to their usual table. Langa and Miya followed suit, Langa nodding at Kojiro and Miya barely looking up from his game. Kaoru took a seat across from them as the three younger ones scooted into a corner booth.

“I’ll take the usual.” Kaoru said coolly.

“You know you’re taking away seats from actual customers, right?” Kojiro pouted, mentally noting if he had already cleaned up the supplies for the food the boys usually liked.

“Yes, because there are so many customers here at 11:59 PM, Kojiro.” Kaoru gestured loosely to the empty tables, some of which already had chairs turned up. Miya let out a sharp laugh at that, not taking his eyes off whatever he was playing. Langa and and Reki peered over his shoulders, watching the scree intently. Kojiro huffed, already making his way to the kitchen.

“There could be, if they didn’t hear about the loud skater gang that keeps crashing this place.”

“It’s ok Joe, we know you get lonely here!!” Reki shouted, Kojiro walking out of the dining room.

  
  
  


20 minutes later, Kojiro left the kitchen with minimal damage to his clean up process, bringing their food to the table. He pulled out a chair, sitting down next to Kaoru.

“So what brings you guys in tonight, other than to ruin my business’ reputation?” Kojiro asked as Miya saved his game and placed it in his lap.

“We were practicing some new tricks. Cherry offered to show us how his skateboard works too and we couldn’t really pass that up.” Langa said, grabbing a fork as he started to eat his pasta. Kaoru smirked at that.

“Yeah it was pretty epic! Makes me wanna learn how to use AI stuff in my own boards.” Reki chimed in, as he began to eat as well. 

“I’d be happy to teach you more about ‘AI stuff’, Reki. It’s a hobby of mine I’ve been meaning to devote more time to.” Kaoru glanced sidelong at Kojiro, challenging him to an unknown yet exceedingly familiar fight. 

“Aren’t you like, some super rich calligrapher too?” Miya asked, cutting into the fish on his plate and taking a bite. He nodded at Kojiro. “Whatever this one is, it’s good. You should put it on the menu.”

“Yes, yes, I know Kaoru is amazing and talented and beautiful etc. etc. I hear this enough at S, I do not need to be hearing it in my own restaurant.”

“No one here mentioned ‘beautiful’ .” Miya interjected. Kaoru choked back a laugh. Kojiro felt his face flush as he stammered.

“It was an _example_ , Miya.”

“Yeah, an example of how whipped you are.” Reki snorted. The younger boys burst out laughing at that. 

Kojiro really was a saint for feeding them without payment. Was he getting payed for this? No, stupid question, he owned this place. He deadpanned as the group continued to laugh, but caught a glimpse of Kaoru looking at him fondly as he glanced sideways. 

  
  
After one hour and a few more laughs at Kojiro’s expense, the boys finished their meals, deciding they were done tormenting their target of choice for the day. Kojiro cleaned up the last few tables as Kaoru sat at the bar, watching as they left. 

“Langa, you wanna come to my place?” Reki asked, holding the door open for the other two boys.

“Sorry man, my mom will be worried if I’m not there tomorrow morning, see you tomorrow though.” He ducked under Reki’s arm, leaving the building. Miya stiffened, almost unnoticeable, before continuing out the door as well. 

“ ‘Aight, I understand. See ya, bye Miya!” Reki shouted, taking off on his board into the cool night air.

“Bye” Langa sped off in the opposite direction as the door swung closed. 

Kojiro paused,watching through the window as he wiped down the table where they sat at. Miya stood for a moment, completely still like a deer in headlights. All at once, he heaved out what looked like a sigh, posture crumpling a bit. Before Kojiro could even move, the youngest skater had looked up again, dropping his board and skating into the night.

An uneasy feeling began to stir in Kojiro’s gut.

Kojiro furrowed his thick brows as he stood up, flipping up the final chairs and walking back to Kaoru, who was currently drinking the last sip of his glass of white wine. Immediately, he took notice of Kojoro’s demeanor. 

“What’s wrong?” Kaoru asked, setting down his glass with a clink. Kojiro picked up his glass and leaned over the oak-wood bar, placing it in the sink on the other side. 

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.” Kojiro gave a small smile as Kaoru held out his hand. Kojiro pulled him up from the seat. “Let’s go home.”

——

Kojiro sighed as he opened the fridge, illuminating the kitchen. He filled a glass of water, glancing back to look at the time. _4:42 AM_ It blinked back, the blue glow of the LEDs casting over the marble countertops. He shook his head as he took a sip from the now full glass.

He had not slept a single minute since they had arrived home, which was quickly becoming a matter of annoyance. Since he started spending most nights at Kaoru’s place, Kojiro found that he had been blessed with near perfect sleep. Although the arrangement had been made with Kaoru’s sleep troubles in mind, Kojiro found that he too benefited quite a bit from sleeping next to his boyfriend. 

Except for tonight, of course. 

Kojiro tried to push his annoyance out of mind, knowing that it, on top of everything else, was _not_ going to be helpful in the sleep department. He hadn’t been able to find peace of mind since the restaurant, the unsettling feeling in his stomach refusing to let him rest. At least there was no S tomorrow, not like he could skate on no hours of sleep. Maybe he could get his staff to sub in cooking if he called in sick for work.

The kitchen light flicked on, stopping Kojiro’s thoughts in their tracks. A sleep worn Kaoru stood in the doorway, hair undone and a robe pulled over his body. He adjusted his glasses on his face. 

“What are you doing up?” Kaoru asked, still blinking away tiredness. 

“I could ask you the same thing.” Kojiro took another sip of water before placing the glass on the counter. Kaoru walked over, taking a seat at the counter across from Joe. 

“I have a medical reason. You sleep like a log unless somethings on your mind.” Kaoru looked up at him, smiling softly. 

Even half asleep, he was always right on the nose. Kaoru was too smart for his own good. 

Kojiro groaned, leaning down against the countertop so he had to look up to meet Kaoru’s eyes. It would help to talk it out, even if it was stupid. 

“I have this feeling in my gut. A bad one.” 

“A bad feeling? Not bad food, like the resta-”

“No not like the restaurant in LA.” Kojiro let out a chuckle as Kaoru smiled one of his private smiles, reserved only for inside jokes between them. Kojiro’s face dimmed again as he continued to speak. 

“I’m worried about Miya… which is kind of stupid, we saw him tonight, he’s fine! So then why…” Kaoru nodded as Kojiro trailed off, encouraging him to keep going. Kojiro let out another deep sigh.

“I mean, don’t you even wonder? I got started thinking tonight after the boys left. How does Miya even come out with them? Reki and Langa are 17, so it makes sense for them to stay out late. But Miya, he’s 13! Either his parents don’t care enough to set curfews, or he sneaks out every night- both of which aren’t great options.” Kojiro stood up fully as he continued. “And how does he do his school stuff, professional skating, _and_ S. Where is the time there? Something has to give unless he’s not getting any sleep at all. And have you seen what he eats? Barely anything except for fish, which is pretty low calorie! I mean, he’s growing, he needs to eat actual food!” 

A weight seemed to drop off Kojiro’s shoulders as he said this, dreariness taking its place. Kaoru stood up, rounding the counter and bringing his arms around Kojiro into a comforting hug. Kojiro quickly reciprocated, pressing his face into the crook of Kaoru’s neck. 

“You’re so good at worrying about others, Kojiro.” Kaoru pulled him closer. “I understand your worries about Miya, though. He’s so young, and your concerns are valid.” 

Kojiro made a noncommittal noise, unmoving from his position.

“I know we’ve only known the kids for a couple months but… I just want to make sure he’s ok, you know?”

“I know. We’ll keep an eye on him, make sure he’s doing ok. For now though…” Kaoru pulled back, looking at what was now a very tired Kojiro. “... let’s get back to bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO so this is my first fic, so comments are appreciated a lot! It took me a while to get the correct writing vibe down for this one, so if the style slowly shifts throughout the fic, that's why. I'm not quite sure how long its gonna be yet, the drafts are indicating it will probablyyy take us over 15k words at least, though!!
> 
> Also sorry a lot doesn't happen in this chapter.. ig it's kinda like,, a semi-intro, in a way. Next chapter will be more exciting!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> episode 10 came out today and i am SCREAMING,,,,, i have been hyped on adrenaline the entire day,, so here is chapter 2 to celebrate!

“What the, OW- FUCK-” Reki yelped, hitting the ground hard. 

“Language.” Kaoru said from his place at the top of the ramp a few feet away. He tapped at his phone, most likely messing with some of Carla’s settings. 

“You ok bro?” Langa hopped off his board and held his hand out to Reki, pulling him up. 

Kojiro smiled at the scene as a pleasantly cool breeze blew through his hair. It had become pretty commonplace for the group to meet up on nights where they weren’t at S- if not for practice then to keep the younger members of the group from stirring up any unneeded chaos. Rambunctious teens who were already used to shimmying around the law weren’t exactly prone to staying home safely, a sentiment that both Kojiro and Kaoru could understand. 

Where the group went or what they did really depended on how they were feeling, but it had been decided the previous night that they’d all meet up at the skatepark at 11- the only time the majority of them could agree too. Shadow, however, declined the invite, saying he needed to “close up the shop” with an uncharacteristically shy look on his face. More likely, Kojiro thought, that he wanted to spend time with that manager he had a crush on, but he wasn’t one to call him out. Certainly didn’t stop the kids from ragging on him though. 

Speaking of the kids…

Kojiro bumped Kaoru’s shoulder, earning a slight glare from the man still engrossed in his phone. He attempted to peek over to look at Kaoru’s screen. 

“You got the time?” Kojiro asked. Kaoru pushed up his glasses- they were in street clothes tonight, foregoing their S outfits as to avoid unneeded attention.

“It’s quarter to twelve. Why, do you have a hot date?” Kaoru smirked at him. Kojiro huffed out a small laugh. Reki and Langa had abandoned skating at this point, opting to sit on one of the cement blocks below them, talking and laughing about something or another. Kojiro watched them as he spoke again. 

“... The kid is almost an hour late.”

“Maybe he had homework?” Kaoru asked, following Kojiro’s gaze.

“He brought his math worksheets with him to S once. He’s never late.” Kojiro frowned. He turned to look at Kaoru, whose brows were furrowed in thought. 

A voice cut through their conversation.

“Hey,” Reki shouted up to them as he stood up. “Do you guys know where Miya is?”

Kojiro looked down at Reki. They really were on the same wavelength a lot of the time. Kojiro dipped down on his board, skating down from his place on the top of the ramp, Kaoru following. The two stopped at the bottom, picking up their boards and making their way over to Reki and Langa.

“We haven’t heard from him. He didn’t text you two?” Kaoru asked, brow arching. Langa shook his head, standing next to Reki. 

“Usually he texts one of us if he has to bail on something, which is rarely.” Reki nodded as Langa spoke.

“He’s been offline all day. I’m kinda worried, to be honest.” Reki said.

Kojiro shifted his weight, a hand unconsciously finding its way behind Kaoru and into his high ponytail, twisting his fingers through the soft strands.

“And you guys texted him, too?” Kojiro asked, that pit in his stomach making its way back in record time. 

“Yeah, but no response.” Langa replied. 

“Maybe you guys should go and check on him?” Kaoru spoke, face calm but eyes alight with a sort of analyzing worry that Kojiro was familiar with. 

“That’s… sort of what we wanted to ask you.” Reki looked between Kaoru and Kojiro. “Langa and I got school tomorrow, and as much as I wanna go check on Miya I also don’t wanna get yelled at for sleeping in class again-”

“You sleep in class anyways.” Langa pointed out.

“Shut up. Anyways we know it’s already pretty late, but we were wondering if maybe you two could go for us?” 

The two men glanced at each other. The restaurant wouldn’t be open until the evening tomorrow, and Kaoru’s scheduled client had mentioned he preferred to meet later in the day because he had a “great nearby Italian restaurant” he wanted to treat Kaoru to. They could afford to lose a few hours of sleep. 

“We can check up on him.” Kojiro said, adjusting his grip on his board. His other hand was still tangled in Kaoru’s hair. “We’d need the address though.”

“I have it.” Langa piped up. “The name of the complex, at least. I’ve only been in the lobby when I went to drop off a game he left at my place. It’s a pretty fancy place, though. The security person there will probably buzz you in or something.” Langa took out his phone, scrolling through it. Kaoru’s phone chimed, lighting up with a new message from Langa. 

“Got it.” Kaoru said, scanning the address. 

“We should get going then.” Reki said, putting down his board. “Thanks a lot guys, tell him to text us when you see him.” 

“Yeah, thank you. I hope he’s ok.” Langa followed suit. The boys waved, skating off in the same direction.

Kaoru smiled, looking amused.

“Don’t they live in different directions?” He said, watching as they left.

“Completely opposite.” Kojiro agreed. He turned to Kaoru, letting his hand down. “Remind you of anyone?” 

Kaoru laughed at that.

“As if we even attempted to go to class.” He typed in the address on his phone, Carla blinking in signal that she was ready to start navigation. “Come on, let’s go see what’s up.”

\---

Miya’s apartment complex was only around a 10 minute ride from the skatepark, but somehow it seemed to be in a different world. 

The buildings grew taller and more expensive looking as the two made their way to their destination, their trip eventually landing them outside of an expensive looking apartment building near the shopping and financial district. It fit in snugly with the other imposing towers around it, windows glinting from the harsh streetlights that lined either side of the road. Despite being in the heart of the city, Kojiro noted, the walls of alleys lay untagged, light posts without the friendly stickers indicating some youth had been around. Sterile was probably the best word to describe it.

Kaoru took in his surroundings, stepping off Carla and hooking her onto his back. 

“This place seems pretentious.” Kojiro mused, following suit and putting his board in his backpack.

“I’ve only been here for business- some of my clients live around here.” Kaoru paused “It’s supposedly popular for the rich and elite to rent around here.” 

“Yeah, I think I picked up on that.” Kojiro huffed. 

They walked towards the entrance of the building, Kojiro holding the door open for Kaoru before entering himself. The lobby was sizable- white and pristine, reflecting the exterior of the building. To the left was a security room with a window for check ins, while to the right was what Kojiro assumed was a mail room of some sorts. Two elevator doors stood at the back of the room, their sleek and silver design seemingly the only non monochromatic thing in the room, next to the singular, plasticky looking potted tree that sat stiffly next to the check in counter. Despite the large nature of the lobby, Kojiro found it harder to breathe.

He stood awkwardly behind Kaoru as the pink haired man checked in. An older looking man stood behind the counter. 

“Pardon the intrusion. We’re here for Chinen Miya.” Kaoru said, switching into what Kojiro had dubbed  _ work mode _ . His posture was confident, voice smooth, and eyes calm, an air of sophistication and professionalism dripping off him. If only they knew.

The security guard nodded, keys on an unseen keyboard typing. 

“Name?”

“Sakurayashiki Kaoru.”

A hum, then more typing.

“Yes, you’re on his visitors list. Go on up. It’s the sixth floor, apartment #34.” 

A flicker of a question crossed Kaoru’s face, but it was quickly shoved away in favor of a polite smile. 

“Thank you for your help. We’ll be on our way.”

He turned, meeting eyes with Kojiro as they entered the elevator. Once inside, Kaoru dropped his mask, leaning back against the mirrored wall with a sigh. Eyes narrowing in confusion.

“We were on his visitors list.” Kaoru said, a sort of affirmative statement for whatever he was working out in his head. 

“I mean, I’m sure Reki and Langa were on there too. We’re his friends?” Kojiro responded, not really understanding the significance of said list. He was, however, familiar with the unspoken question in Kaoru’s tone and the way his eyes seemed to be looking at something beyond what Kojiro could see, and knew that his boyfriend wasn’t gonna be able to drop the topic until he worked out his thoughts. 

“We were on  _ his _ list, Kojiro.” He turned to look at the other man, the elevator indicating as they ascended floors. “Aren’t the adults of the house usually the ones with a visitors list?” 

The elevator dinged. 

They stepped out into a long hallway, just as pristine as the rest of the building, of course. The fluorescent lights seemed to wash out the sakura-pink tone of Kaoru’s hair. 

Kojiro thought on his words, his stomach twisting in a sort of morbid anticipation. They had been let in without the security guard calling anyone- probably due to being on the visitors list. Best case scenario, Miya’s parents would be woken up by two strange looking men with colored hair and skateboards, and would question the ability of their security system given the amount they were probably paying for this apartment. Worst case…. Kojiro tried not to dwell on that. 

The door to Miya's apartment was light blue and made of a thick metal, a keypad next to the door, as well as an intercom. Kojiro pressed the button on it, a light flashing red, indicating it was on. A very groggy, very small voice came through it.

“Who is it?” Miya’s voice asked- he sounded terrible, as if his throat was straining to its limits just to ask the question.

“It’s Joe and Cherry.” Kojiro replied. Despite knowing the others in their group for several months now, they still opted to use their S names instead of their real ones most of the time. “You ok? You didn’t show up tonight- we were all pretty worried. The boys sent us to check up on you.” 

A pause, then then the intercom clicked off. The sound of a lock clicking open filled its place. Miya’s muffled voice came from behind the door this time. 

“You can come in.” Kojiro glanced at Kaoru, who moved his hand towards the handle, swinging the door open. 

Kojiro took in his surroundings. It was fairly dark inside the apartment, most of the light coming from the muted TV and the built in lights under the kitchen cabinets. Fancy. From what he could gather, the place was fairly small, the kitchen and living room making up one large space, with two doors leading to other rooms. A cough echoed through the room, causing both men to look at the source of the noise. 

Miya sat on the couch, pulling a blanket over himself and resettling into the far corner of it. The coffee table was littered with tissues and the abandoned packaging of flu medicine. Kojiro froze, taking in the sight of the boy. Luckily, Kaoru was better at reacting appropriately in these sort of situations. 

“Miya…” Kaoru said gently, approaching the couch slowly and kneeling down beside it. Miya only sniffled in response, not wanting to meet Kaoru’s eyes. “You’re sick.. Why didn’t you tell anyone?” 

Miya shrugged, still looking away. His eyes were red and had deep, dark circles under them. Kaoru reached out, the back of his hand feeling against the boy’s forehead. Miya tensed for a moment, before slightly leaning into the cool touch. Kaoru frowned.

“You’re burning up, I’m pretty sure you have a fever.” 

Kojiro’s eyes flickered to the two doors on the wall of the living room. Something clicked in his mind. 

_ Aren’t the adults of the house usually the ones with a visitors list? _

Two doors. A bathroom and one bedroom.

A feeling of dread overcame Kojiro as he looked back to Miya and Kaoru. He cleared his throat, before walking a few steps to stand next to his boyfriend, who was still crouching next to the miserable kid. 

“Kid…” Kojiro ventured softly, his voice akin to one trying to lure in a stray cat. Miya still refused to make eye contact. “Where are your parents?”

Miya’s eyes widened slightly, freezing up. After a few moments, he finally moved his head, looking down. 

“They’re… out.”

“Kid, look-” Kojiro was cut off by a tug on his pant leg, Kaoru staring up at him. After over a decade of knowing each other, the look in his golden eyes was enough to get the message across. 

_ I know. We’ll talk about it later. Right now we need to take care of him. _

Kojiro paused. Kaoru was right, for now they needed to focus on Miya- the poor kid looked exhausted. 

“Have you eaten anything today? It’s important to still eat, especially when you’re sick.” Kojiro asked. Cooking, at least, was something he could do to help right now. Miya shook his head, finally making some eye contact with Kojiro. 

“-M not hungry…” 

“You might change your mind after you taste the soup Kojiro can make. Seriously, he makes it for me whenever I’m sick, it’s better than any cold medicine.” Kaoru said, looking up at Miya with a small smile. He still looked unsure. 

“Wow, the great Lord Cherry admits to liking my cooking. I thought I’d never see the day.” Kojiro says with a chuckle. It earns him a small smile from Miya. “I haven’t had dinner yet anyways, so it’s better if I just make something. I don’t know about you, but I can’t sleep on an empty stomach.” 

“... Ok… thanks.” Miya said before falling into a coughing fit. He huddled deeper into the corner of the couch. 

“Let’s try and get you some rest while Kojiro cooks, ok?” Kaoru stated, not really asking a question. Miya gave a small nod. “Great. Which one is your bedroom? You’ll get a bad back if you sleep on the couch.” 

Miya gave a weak nod to the leftmost door, which was slightly cracked open. Kaoru stood up, reaching for Miya’s hand. Very surprisingly to Kojiro, Miya took it, allowing himself to be led to his room. If anything, that alone was enough to show how out of it the kid was. 

Kojiro looked over at the fancy looking white cabinets and stainless steel fridge. He sighed. Somehow, he doubted there was anything in there to make any sort of meal. Still, he’d cooked under worse conditions. Let’s see what he was dealing with. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankyou so much for your support on the last chapter!! I'm glad to see everyone else is a simp for found family fics like i am. This chapter ended up being longer than I anticipated but I'm pretty happy with it!! 
> 
> Also in writing this fic i keep developing more and more matchablossom headcanons ,, their relationship dynamic is simply too powerful-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me writing plot developments and important things: i will sprinkle in matchablossom being completely in love

As he expected, the stock of the kitchen was… less than adequate to make a meal. The majority of the expensive-looking wooden cabinets were filled with seemingly unused dishware, with the exception of a singular spice rack filled with basic spices of questionable expiration dates. The two door fridge didn’t fare much better. It was strikingly bare, only enhanced by its large size. The only thing Kojiro found in there was half a gallon of milk, some untouched sparkling water pushed to the back of the fridge, and what Kojiro recognized as a take out container from his own restaurant- probably from dinner the other night. 

Kojiro grimaced. This was  _ not  _ going to do, no matter how much cooking expertise he had. 

Luckily, however, this issue was nothing a quick convenience store run couldn’t fix. After checking in with Kaoru, who was seated on a chair next to a sleeping Miya’s bed and reading something on his phone, Kojiro made a trip to the 24/7 store he remembered seeing on their way there. 

The fresh night air allowed him to breathe, the wind clearing his mind and removing any drowsiness he previously had. He thought back to Miya’s home- With the price of the neighborhood he was living in, it was unfathomable that him and his parents would be sharing a room. There was no other way to spin it- the kid was living on his own. But for how long, how was he affording the place, where  _ were  _ his parents. There were too many questions, he needed to talk to Kaoru soon. 

Originally, he’d only meant to buy the ingredients for a half-decent soup, but ended up skating back with arms full of enough food to stock the fridge and the cabinets for a month. 

\---

The door was unlocked upon Kojiro’s arrival back- a blessing given that both arms were currently loaded with 3 grocery bags each and he really didn’t feel like testing the integrity of the plastic any further. 

He shifted some of the bags further up his forearm, opening the door with minimal struggle. The apartment lights were now turned on, their warm glow in stark contrast to the hospital-esque tone of the hallway. Kaoru was now sat comfortably in the armchair next to the couch. It was apparent that he’d attempted to clean up while Kojiro was gone, the living room now free of any tissues or trash. He stood up when Kojiro entered. 

“Need any help with that?” He asked, glancing at the number of bags in Kojiro’s grip. He took two from him and set them on the large countertop.

“Thanks.” Kojiro moved behind him, setting the rest of the bags down.

He stretched, now free of the imposing weight, as Kaoru turned, wrapping his long arms around Kojiro’s middle. Kojiro instantly relaxed at the touch, letting out a breath as he hugged back, burying his face into his boyfriend’s thick hair, which had since been moved from the high ponytail he used while skating to a more casual low pony. They melted into each other, the touch as natural as breathing. 

“Are we feeding an army?” He felt Kaoru ask, still pressed close against his chest. Kojiro sighed, tightening his hold around the other man.

“Went a bit overboard..” he murmured. Then quietly, “He didn’t have anything here to work with.”

Kaoru didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. Kojiro knew he understood. 

They pulled apart, turning back to the mountain of groceries on the counter. Silently they worked in tandem, putting away everything except the things Joe would need to make the soup. It was short work with both of them helping, coupled with the fact that most of the cupboards were bare and they didn’t need to think too much about where things went.

Kojiro looked at the oven clock as they finished putting away the food. It was 2:38 AM, but he somehow doubted either of them were going to be getting any sleep tonight. Kojiro grabbed a cutting board from one of the cabinets (thank god there was at least kitchenware here) along with a knife and some of the vegetables he had left out earlier. Kaoru took a seat on one of the bar stools opposite, watching him intently. 

“Miya passed out pretty quickly after he laid down. I think he’ll be out for at least another couple hours.” Kaoru said. Kojiro shook his head as he began to expertly slice up some carrots. “From what I saw in his room…” Kaoru continued, “There’s no way he’s sharing it with anyone. He’s the only one living here.”

Kojiro frowned at that. It was what he was expecting and what he already suspected, but hearing confirmation from Kaoru didn’t make the information any easier to deal with. 

“God.. where the hell are his parents?” Kojiro asked under his breath. Kaoru looked down as Kojiro continued to prep food, talking as he worked. “He’s what, all of 13 and already taking care of himself, already living  _ alone _ ? I mean, I know we were pretty independent as teens but, he’s 13! He’s a  _ kid _ .”

“I know.. I can’t help but wonder…” Kaoru trailed off, looking over at the door to Miya’s room. He turned back to Kojiro as the other poured the now chopped ingredients into a large pot. “He’s been coming to S for a few months now.. Somehow I doubt this is a new arrangement.” 

Kojiro paused his work. Miya had been living alone, and probably for  _ months  _ at that. He looked down at his cooking, thinking back to the barren kitchen. Is this why he didn’t eat anything- he just didn’t have the time or energy to make stuff? Kojiro had enough trouble handling just the restaurant and skating, he couldn’t imagine adding school and professional training on top of it- and alone? 

He flicked on the stove- the soup would need to simmer for at least another hour. Kojiro paced in the kitchen, back and forth as he spoke. 

“God I… Why didn’t he tell us, or Reki or Langa or anyone else? This-” he gestured largely as he spoke, “it’s too much for a kid to handle.” Kaoru shook his head. 

“Maybe he feels mature, living alone? Or he was worried he would get in trouble? Being that age… it’s easy to make rash decisions without even thinking they’re decisions at all.” 

“We need to do something.”

“Obviously.”

Kojiro rounded the counter, scooting one of the stools closer to Kaoru’s, then taking a seat in it. He leaned forward, resting his head against one of his hands. 

“But what can we do?” He asked quietly. He felt Kaoru’s hand come up to rest in his unruly hair, combing through it. “I mean, I remember being a kid his age, I didn’t want any help with anything, I just wanted people to see me as a cool grown up already.” Kaoru hummed in agreement. 

“And that’s a normal 13 year old, Miya is far from that.” Kaoru spoke lowly, his eyes deep in thought. “I doubt he’ll take any help we try and give him if he knows what we’re doing. I’m pretty sure the only reason he’s letting us help now is because he’s too out of it to try and fight against it.”

“I know you’re right.. I just wish the answer was simpler.” He turned to face Kaoru. “I wish we would’ve known sooner… I had a feeling something was wrong but, this?”

“We couldn’t have predicted something like this, as much as I wished we could have.” Kaoru sighed, fingers still running through Kojiro’s hair. Who the calming action was for, neither of them knew. “What’s important is that we know now, and that we’re going to do everything we can to help him.”

Kojiro felt himself relax at his boyfriend's words. It was going to be okay- they were going to make sure that Miya was fine and they were going to help him in any way they could. Kaoru always knew what to say... what Kojiro needed at any given moment. For a man of such decisive and analytical actions, he was surprisingly in tune with his emotions, and by extension the emotions of those he loved. 

Kojiro stood up and stepped closer to Kaoru. He cupped his face gently, gazing into his eyes. 

“You know..” Kojiro said, sliding his thumb over Kaoru’s cheek, “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

Kaoru smiled softly, moving his hands over where Kojiro’s sat on his face. 

“I’m not sure… how about you tell me again.”

—-

Two hours later, Kojiro found himself scrolling through his phone, laying on the black leather couch at a somewhat uncomfortable angle. Kaoru lay on top of him, head against his chest and sleeping soundly. After talking further, Kojiro had convinced his boyfriend to try and get some sleep until Miya woke up, stating that he wouldn’t be in any condition to take care of the sick kid if he couldn’t keep his eyes open. 

Perhaps Kojiro was a bit of a hypocrite.

He heard the sound of a creaking door, eyes moving to meet the noise. Miya stood in the doorway to the living room, fidgeting with the sleeve of his hoodie. He looked around, dazed, before his eyes settled on the two men on the couch, freezing in place. 

Kojiro tapped Kaoru’s shoulder, prompting the pink haired man to push himself up and stretch. He settled his glasses back into place as he looked at Miya. 

“Ah, you’re awake. Are you feeling any better?” Kaoru asked, moving himself off of Kojiro. Miya awkwardly nodded his head, evidently still trying to wake up.

“-M throat doesn’t hurt as bad, I guess.” Despite this statement, his voice was still scratchy and hoarse. “I didn’t think you would still be here.” He said, so quietly it almost went unheard. 

“You think we’re gonna leave you here, half dying?” Kojiro joked, sitting up fully. “Plus, I bet you’re really hungry.” 

As if on cue, Miya’s stomach growled loudly. He crossed his arms, embarrassed. 

“I knew I chose the right profession. Let’s eat, I’m starving too.”

  
  


In 5 minutes flat, Kojiro had the three of them seated around the glass coffee table with food and drinks. It was still dark outside, but Kojiro supposed a (very) early breakfast was in order.

Miya looked at his bowl shyly, as if he was afraid to touch it. From sitting this close, it was clear that Miya’s nose was red from blowing it too much, dark circles still deep under his eyes. At least eating would help somewhat. Miya caved as soon as Kojiro and Kaoru began to eat, taking a small spoonful of soup. Evidently, Miya lost whatever argument he was having with the meal, as his eyes lit up and he began wolfing it down. It took all of Kojiro’s willpower not to chuckle. 

  
  


Miya yawned, finishing his bowl. He huddled into his hoodie a bit, pulling his arms around his legs. Kaoru spoke as Kojiro got up, collecting the now empty dishes. 

“You could go back to sleep, Miya. It’s important to rest while you’re sick, it only helps you get better faster.”

“-can’t. I got practice before school today.. Have to be there in an hour.” Miya answered. His voice sounded marginally better, aside from the series of coughs at the end of his sentence. Kaoru raised his eyebrows. 

“You are  _ not  _ going to practice, or school for that matter, unless you want to get your entire class sick.” Miya frowned as he shifted nervously.

“It’s no big deal, I always have practice at this time. I can’t flake.”

_ Ah _ . Kojiro thought belatedly as he placed the dishes in the large sink.  _ So that's how he’s fitting everything in _ .

“Miya,” Kaoru started, how serious he was evident in his tone, “there’s no way you can practice in this condition, let alone go to school. You won’t learn anything, and I guarantee you will make yourself worse.” 

“I can wear a mask or something, I won’t get other people sick-”

“If you’re sick you can’t come to S.” Kojiro said from the kitchen. 

Now that got Miya’s attention. 

“It’s dangerous enough as it is, they won’t let an obviously sick person skate- too much of a liability.”

“Exactly.” Kaoru agreed, pushing up his glasses. “Think about it. You take this  _ one _ day to rest and get better, or you have a week of feeling bad, suffering through classes and practice,  _ and _ not being able to attend S. It’s your choice, but I think we both know which one makes more logical sense.” 

Miya sighed, looking down. He curled in on himself a bit, before nodding in agreement with Kaoru. Kaoru breathed out, obviously relieved. 

“Before you go back to bed, you should probably take-”

“-can’t miss school.” Miya interrupted. Kaoru looked a bit taken aback, obviously thinking he had won the debate. He seemed to curl further in on himself as he continued. “I can’t call in sick.. My parents have to do it..” he trailed off, not meeting Kaoru or Kojiro’s eyes. 

For the first time since he discovered Miya was living alone, Kojiro felt a flash of anger bubbling up inside him. How many other days had he forced himself to go to practice, go to school when he wasn’t up to it because his parents weren’t there to call him out? What other stuff was Miya forcing himself to do, or not do, because he needed parent permission, parents calling in, parents signing things? In this moment, Kojiro decidedly did not care about whatever circumstances had led Miya to live alone. His parents were  _ gone _ , leaving their 13 year old son to attempt to care for himself, and that alone was unforgivable. 

Kojiro watched as Kaoru straightened, his posture stiffening like he was dealing with a particularly difficult client. When he spoke, his voice was filled with a silent anger, imperceivable underneath the layers of professionalism Kaoru wore when he was like this, unless you knew what to look for. The somewhat piercing look of his eyes matched the seething fury of his tone, but Kojiro knew neither was aimed at Miya.

“Is your school secretary familiar with what your father sounds like?” He asked, staying perfectly still. 

“I… don’t think so.” Miya said, still refusing to make eye contact. 

“Of course they aren’t.” Kaoru whispered. If Miya heard, he made no motion acknowledging it. Kaoru breathed out, forcing any malice out of his voice as he attempted to relax.

“I’ll call in sick for you today. It’s important that you rest. If you give me the number of the school, I’ll call right now and leave a message so they’re sure to see it first thing.” 

Miya looked back at Kaoru’s words, surprised. He finally met Kaoru’s gaze. 

“Are you sure?” He mumbled, still buried in his hoodie, “If it’s too much work-”

“It’s really no trouble at all.” Kaoru said, twisting a lock of long hair around his finger. None but Kojiro knew it as something he only did when exceedingly stressed or anxious. “I called in to school pretending to be my own parents a number of times, I’m quite experienced in the matter, I assure you.” He said, smiling. 

Miya grinned slightly at the notion. “If you’re sure… I’ll go and get my phone, it has the number on it.” He stood up slowly, before turning and walking to his room.

As soon as he was through the door, Kaoru clenched his fist at his side, bringing his other hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Kojiro made his way back to the coffee table as Kaoru looked up. They shared a look as Kojiro shook his head. 

They had a lot to figure out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW ok this chapter was l o n g . I know not a ton (?) happened (I guess that really depends on your definition of what stuff happening really is) but this chapter is definitely important for setting up the rest of the fic,, I also really cannot stop myself adding matchablossom moments in everywhere,, i love them too much. But yeah,, letting you guys know it is *not* gonna be a one shot stop to family, its gonna take a little while for miya to warm up to the idea of allowing people in and letting himself be cared for and letting himself be a kid again!! After all, it IS miya.


End file.
